After the criticism leveled at the lack of response from government officials to the incident of setting fire to the synagogue in Ramla earlier this week, tonight (Wednesday), Minister of Religions Matan Kahana arrived for a visit of identification and strengthening in the Ayelet Hashachar synagogue.
The minister met with worshipers and city residents who expanded on the sense of insecurity that is taking place on the city streets. “What daring to burn and ignite at eight in the evening in the center of the State of Israel,” the minister wondered. The Gabay of the synagogue – Zevulun Mordechai, who extinguished the fire that was lit in the synagogue, unrolled the chain of events on the difficult night. The rabbi of the synagogue, Rabbi Eitan Avisror, told the minister about the hard feelings of the worshipers and the great shock from the desecration of the synagogue.
The minister strongly condemned the arson and said he would work to help rehabilitate the synagogue, which needs immediate refurbishment following the arson. “First of all, it was important to come here and participate in this crazy event that a synagogue in the city and mother in Israel is being burned,” Kahana said. “An unthinkable event.”
It will be recalled that on Sunday evening, Arab rioters broke into the Ayelet Hashachar synagogue in the center of Ramla. They broke a window and immediately started burning the place. The rabbi’s chair was burned, the ceiling of the synagogue and the air conditioning system were badly damaged. Miraculously the fire did not consume the place. A worshiper who lived nearby heard a loud explosion from the synagogue plaza and hurried to the scene. He found the synagogue burning inside, and began to shout for help at the neighbors who quickly called the fire brigade. Police investigators who arrived at the scene found remnants of fuel that was apparently used for the arson.